AAP office gears up for counting day

New Delhi: On the eve of the counting day for Lok Sabha elections, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) office at Hanuman Road was a picture of bustling activity as volunteers geared up to host crowds of supporters expected to gather there after the results would be declared on Friday.

Although exit polls have predicted a subdued performance by the Arvind Kejriwal-led outfit, AAP volunteers were upbeat about the big day.

Television sets have been installed at the office along with a big screen in the compound where volunteers usually gather. Similar arrangements had been made during the Delhi Assembly elections and also when Kejriwal had resigned as chief minister.

"Volunteers will start coming in the morning tomorrow and we are preparing for that," said an AAP worker busy in the preparation.

Party leader Kejriwal, however, will be in Varanasi on Friday for the counting.

When Kejriwal went to Varanasi to conduct his campaign against BJP's Narendra Modi, the entire AAP machinery, leaders and volunteers included, moved to the temple town with only a couple of leaders staying back in Delhi to man the office in Delhi.

Brooms and AAP caps- trademarks of the party- have also been stocked up for Friday for distribution among volunteers.

Also, the party has brought in foodgrains and other supplies to offer food to the surge of volunteers it is expecting at the office on Friday.

The party kitchen, which daily serves party workers with tea at regular intervals, breakfast, lunch and dinner, was again seen preparing for Friday.

"As the party office remained closed when the action shifted to Varanasi and Amethi, our stocks got over. From tomorrow, when volunteers again start to pour in, we have to be prepared so that food can be served," said Shiv Kumar Bansal, in-charge of the kitchen at the AAP office.